Professional Learning Communities provide a strong framework for professional learning that can directly impact classroom instruction. This presentation shares the work of a PLC at Hilliard Horizon Elementary. The PLC uses a cycle of learning that identified areas of refinement for student learning. This resulted in the production of a math communication rubric that was written in student-friendly language and shared with the school district.

1. Crafting an Engaging Math PLC
Jodi Bates, Herb Higginbotham,
Andrea Kaufmann, Ann Richards, and
Britanie Risner
Hilliard City Schools

3. Reviewing Common Assessment Data
● Reviewed OAA Item
Analysis
● Recognized a skill
students needed to
strengthen
● Decided to focus on
strengthening
communication of math
thinking
Example of Data:
4th Grade 2010 OAA Number
Sense Extended Response
0 points: 26%
1 point: 14%
2 points: 18%
3 points: 18%
4 points: 24%

4. Example of
common
assessment to
measure
communication
skill of students
We noticed our
students
struggled to
“justify”
thinking.

5. Realized
students didn’t
know what to
do to “explain”
thinking

6. “Look Fors” in a High Quality Math
Elementary Classroom

7. Instructional Best Practices in Math

8. List of Gathered Resources
● Math Coach
● The Math Process Standards Series:
Introduction to Communication
● NCTM & Illuminations
● Exemplars

9. The Math Process Standards Series
5
Books
● Each book has its
own editable CDROM that includes
50+ pages of readyto-use classroom
resources

10. Rubric Creation
● After using common assessment, we realized
we did not have a common language among
ourselves to gauge how students performed
● Realized we needed an assessment rubric for
students and teachers
● Gathered variety of examples

11. ● Gathered variety of examples

12. OAA Rubric
?

13. Consolidated into one, kid-friendly rubric
Used 3-2-1
scale to
reflect
district
progress
report
indicators

14. Student Sample

15. Student’s Rubric

16. Sharing and Reflecting
Benefits
● Students’ math communication
improved
● Increased students’ confidence
● Used anchor charts for math
● Authentic problems
● Developed usable rubric
● Common language
● Collaborated across grade levels
● Students observed examples of
peers outside of homeroom
Struggles
● Scheduling
● Spent larger amount of time on one
concept
● Lack of exposure to communication
math thinking
● Variety of ability levels
● Students not using efficient strategies

18. Why it worked…
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Student-centered
Teacher-centered
Terrific leadership
Data-driven
Collaborative effort across grade levels
Wealth of time for meeting
Abundance of resources
Supportive administrator

19. Resources & References
● The Math Process Standards Series
(Heinemann)
○ www.heinemann.com/products/E01273.aspx
● National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
○ www.nctm.org
● Illuminations
○ illuminations.nctm.org
● Exemplars Standard-based Assessment
○ www.exemplars.com